Airbenders In Love
by Reavenger109
Summary: This is an in-depth love story of Aang's parents. This takes place before the war, during a time of peace.
1. Two Bodies One Mind

1. Two Bodies One Mind

My name is Myra. I am an air nomad and this is my story:

My story begins on a very special occasion: my birthday. I was spending this special day with my brother, Gyatso…

I was sitting at the table, waiting for Gyatso to come join me for tea. Having tea on my birthday. How simple. But I am a very simple person. Too simple, in fact. That is one thing I wish to change about myself.

Gyatso takes a seat at the table, bringing with him two cups of jasmine tea.

"Thank you, Gyatso," I say kindly, while taking a sip of my favorite tea.

"Of course, Myra. And a very happy birthday to you, little sister."

"Little sister," I say sarcastically. I am twenty-one now. I don't think that term should still apply. I was just teasing, but then I became more serious. He stopped laughing.

"You have something you wish to share with me, don't you, Myra?"

"Yes, Gyatso."

"I have something I would like to tell you, as well."

That's one thing I always found to be fascinating about me and my brother. It's like we're two bodies sharing the same mind.

"You first," I urged. His news had to be more cheerful than mine. Most likely, my news will devastate him.

"Well…Myra, I don't know how to put this lightly, so I'll just come right out with it: I'm leaving. I am going to the Southern Air Temple. They need me there. Of course, I would ask you to join me, but I know that would not be best. You have the rest of your life ahead of you and mine is slowly coming to an end."

It is odd that Gyatso and I are siblings, for he will be fifty-three later this year. But I believe our great difference in age makes us appreciate each other even more. Our father died before our mother even knew she was pregnant with her second child. Her pregnancy was completely unexpected. She was very old and no one expected me to survive, except for Gyatso. I believe that it's his faith that kept me alive. I could never repay him enough for that. Sometimes such a simple thing like faith is the most valuable gift.

I was lost deep in thought. My brother, my "little piece of faith", was leaving. Then I remember my news.

"Gyatso, I think that is wonderful news! I know you'll be happy there. And that makes it even easier to tell you what is on my mind. Brother, I am leaving, too. I have lived at this air temple for twenty-one years now. I lived here as a child, but I am no longer a child. I am an adult. And it is time that I start acting like one. Gyatso, I want to see the world! I'm not sure where I will go yet. Everywhere if I can! And I must go alone. This is what is best for me, I just know it."

The same moment I feel a tear rolling down my cheek, I see a tear streaming down Gyatso's, too.

Two bodies. One Mind.

_To be continued…_


	2. Mixed Emotions

2. Mixed Emotions

I woke up early the next morning. I gathered my few traveling supplies and quickly left. I was to meet Gyatso at the entrance of the woods not far away from the air temple. I rushed to get out, insuring that no one would see me. No one else knew that I was leaving. I hate goodbyes. If I try to say goodbye to everything that I know and love, I know that I won't have the strength to leave.

I start running down the steps. I can see the tall trees of the woods up ahead. The moment my leading foot leaves the last step and touches the ground, I realize that this is the beginning of my new life.

I can't look back at my old home. This is what I wanted, right? To become something new. To do things that I've never done before. To explore the world around me. It sounds so adventurous. Something that I am not, but that I will strive to become…

About five minutes later, I finally find Gyatso at our meeting spot. His flying bison is with him. I do hate saying goodbye, but I promise myself that I will see my brother again.

We are both sad, yet joyous. We are sad because we have spent what seems like an eternity together. We are siblings. We care for each other. We are joyous because we know that this is what both of our hearts want; because we honor and encourage each other's decision.

"Hello, sister," he greets me.

I just smile. I am speechless. There are no words that can truly explain how I feel right now. I want to cry and laugh at the same time. I have mixed emotions that I don't know how to express.

He is standing near what used to be my favorite thing in the world: the first tree I ever climbed. Gyatso was there to guide me. Gyatso has always been there. It's so hard to imagine a life without him.

I walk closer to the tree, drawing nearer to my brother, my best friend. When I am about a foot before him, he lunges forward and captures me an embrace.

We say nothing, for there is nothing to say. He lets go. I turn my back to him and walk in the opposite direction. I don't look back. I sense that he has done the same thing. I imagine him climbing onto his flying bison and disappearing into the clouds. But I don't look back. I don't _want _to hear him take off, I don't _want_ to seemy brother fly off into the sky because it will make me feel like I'm losing him forever. I try my hardest not to cry. The pain is unbearable. I can't think about this anymore.

I focus on the task ahead of me. I don't know where to go. For the longest time I just walk, trying to shun out any hindering thoughts, any reflecting memories.

I look up at the sky. It is about noon now. The sky is bright. The sun warms my skin. So this is what being alone feels like. It's not as bad as I thought, though. But it has just begun.

Soon all of the trees begin to look the same. So this is the outside world. I know there is more to it than a few broken logs, fallen branches, and slithering snakes. Where is this so-called excitement. Where is my adventure?

A few hours later I reach the end of the woods. Finally! Just as I pass by the last tree, a victorious grin emerging on my face, looking out at the grassy meadow before me, my stomach starts to growl. I need food. I had decided not to pack food with my supplies (trying to embrace the idea of being 'adventurous').

I recall Gyatso mentioning a town being around here before. I notice the sky is turning blue-black. I decide to journey back into the woods, find a few berries, and make camp for the night. Tomorrow is another day.

As I close my eyes to sleep, I reflect back on my first day as a true 'air nomad'. Was there anything that I should have done differently? But I could think of nothing, because there is no wrong way when you are a nomad. You just go in the direction the air leads you.

_To be continued..._

**Author's Note: Okay, this is my first fanfic and I hope you enjoy it. There is a lot more to come and it will become more and more interesting as time progresses. I appreciate reviews (comments, ideas for the story, and constructive criticism is always welcome), so keep them coming. :) **


	3. Welcome to Hakida Village

3. Welcome to Hakida Village

It is mid-afternoon when I finally wake up. I go to a nearby stream to clean myself up, gather my few belongings, and make my way towards town.

Once again, I pass that same, last tree. But this time, I don't turn back. I keep moving forward.

As the hour continues, just as I'm thinking that I might be going the wrong way, I see a couple of broad figures in the distance. They must be buildings. Buildings mean a town.

A sense of joy rushes over me. This will be my first encounter with anyone outside of the air temple.

As I draw closer to the town, I start to smell food. I had forgotten how hungry I was. I can hear music and singing, too. This should be interesting…

When I finally reach the town, a small man wearing an oversized clown costume pops in front of me. Where did he come from?

"Welcome to Hakida Village!" he greets me with a wide grin. His whole outfit is so comical that I can't keep myself from laughing. The long green and purple striped sleeves hide his hands; and his yellow and orange polka dotted pants cover his feet, so I have to wonder how he could possibly walk in them without tripping. "I am Kippo. I am the overseer to all outsiders. I can help you find your way around."

"Hello there," I respond, still laughing. "I am Myra. I'm a nomad, just passing through."

A gust of wind brings an even stronger scent of the delicious smelling food.

"Could you please tell me where I could find some food?" I ask the still smiling Kippo.

"Of course, right this way."

I follow Kippo through the streets of the large town. I've never been to any place like this before. I can't believe my eyes. I see laughing children playing in the streets, a young couple holding hands, sweating man hard at work…

At that moment, I realize that I don't have any money. I never had to buy anything at the air temple, everything was always provided as long as I did my share.

"Kippo," I interrupt his telling of the history of Hakida Village, "where can I find work around here?"

He thinks about it for a moment. "Well, it all depends on what you can do."

I think about that for a second. What could I possibly do in a large town like this that I did at the air temple?

"Tea," I finally reply. "Is there a tea shop around here?"

"Why, of course there is! Actually, there's one not too far from here. It's called the Red Rose. Old Lara owns the place. She told me just the other day that she's been looking for a helping hand. I'm sure she'll be happy to have ya."

Thus, we made our way towards the Red Rose…

****

We enter the Red Rose. It's a quaint little tea shop in the center of the town. I adore its location. It's in the middle of all the entertainment. Just outside of the shop is a huge stage, according to Kippo, where plays and many other types of performances occur every night.

"Hi, Lara!" Kippo greets the shop owner as we walk in.

"Hello, Kippo," the wrinkle-faced lady says in an irritated manner. Then she smiles when her eyes meet mine, "And who might this be?"

"Oh, yes!" Kippo exclaims. "Lara, this is Myra. She's looking for work. She specializes in tea, so I brought her here."

"Hello," I speak up and walk towards the large woman. We shake hands.

"Hello." She smiles.

"It's nice to meet you. And as Kippo said, I am looking for work. I love tea. Jasmine is my favorite." Her face brightens when I mentioned jasmine tea.

"That's my favorite, too!"

This is good. We're starting off on good terms. I just have to prove my worth.

She continues, "Myra, I like you already. Let's see what you can do!"

I look back at Kippo. He smiles. I smile back and nod. "Thank you," I mouth.

"My pleasure," he mouths back and leaves.

After he's gone, Lara leads me into the kitchen. I prepare a cup of jasmine tea for her. I don't feel nervous at all. I make tea all the time and everyone always enjoys it.

As I am preparing the tea, I make small talk with Lara. She asks general questions about me. I let her know that I'm new here and that I don't have a place to stay.

When I finish, I courteously hand her a cup of tea and she sips it delightfully.

"This is marvelous!'" she exclaims.

A satisfactory grin sweeps across my face. "I'm glad you enjoy it so."

"Myra, the job is yours!"

I'm so happy that all I can do is thank her repeatedly. She tells me that she lives in the shop and that there is a spare room that I can stay in until I find a place of my own. I gladly accept the offer.

After I grab a bite to eat, she shows me to my room. It's small, but nice. It's perfect for me.

"It's not much," she says.

"It's perfect! I can't thank you enough."

"Don't mention it, child. You just rest now. Be ready for work

tomorrow. Shop opens early."

"Of course. Thanks again."

She leaves quietly, closing the door behind her. I unpack my things, wash up, and rest on the bed.

So this is my new life? Well, it is for now.

_To be continued..._

**Author's Note: Thank you all for your encouraging reviews. I really do appreciate it. :) **


	4. The First Day of the Rest of My Life

_Previously on 'Airbenders in Love':_

_Myra leaves the forest and finds a town called Hakida Village. She finds a job at the Red Rose tea shop…_

4. The First Day of the Rest of My Life

When I wake up in the morning, I wash up, get dressed, and enter the main part of the shop to receive my duties for the day. My first day of work and I have no idea what to expect…

When I exit my bedroom, I place my fists on my hips and proclaim, "This is the first day of the rest of my life!" I then proceed to enter the kitchen where Lara is already waiting for me.

"Good morning, Myra!" she greets me.

"Good morning."

"Today will be a true test of your abilities. I have business elsewhere in town today, and I will need you to look after the shop. Today is ordinarily a slow day, so you shouldn't have any problems. But since this is your first day, I've asked my nephew Hirok to come and assist you."

Just as she finishes this statement, a tall, handsome man walks through the door.

"Myra, this is Hirok. Hirok, Myra," Lara introduces us.

At the air temple, I never even considered love. Nor do I now…

"Hello, Myra," Hirok says while walking towards me to shake my hand.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you." We smile at each other for a moment.

"Okay, then," interrupts Lara. "I will be going now. Hirok, show Myra around the place. Tell her how things are done around here and tell her what is to be done. I'll be seeing the both of you later on for dinner."

Hirok and I both wave goodbye.

As he shows me where everything is and explains the way the shop is run, we have a light conversation.

"Are you here often?" I ask him.

"Whenever Aunt Lara needs me, which has been basically everyday lately. The only people left in our family are her, me, and my brother Pollko and sister Abima. Pollko's a traveling merchant, so he's hardly ever around and Abima has a family of her own. I do odd jobs here and there, so I can offer Aunt Lara help whenever she needs it."

"What a delightful nephew you must be!"

"I guess you could say that," he smiles lightly. "Well, what about you? What brings you to Hakida Village?"

"Well…" I try to gather my thoughts. How can I explain this to make people understand? "Well, I'm an air nomad. I just left my air temple yesterday, in fact." This is all happening so quickly! "My brother told me that there was a town around here, so that's how I got here. Then I realized that I don't have any money to fund my travels, so I decided to get a job. And here I am."

"Wow, a bender in Hakida Village!"

I found it odd that he only said 'bender' instead of '_air_bender'.

"Don't you have any earthbenders here?"

"No, actually. Well, it's time to open up shop."

I straighten up a bit, double-checking that everything is in proper order, while Hirok opens the doors to the public.

Hirok and I sit down at a table while we wait for a customer to come. We are both relatively quiet.

Finally, an old man with a cane walks through the door.

"Good morning," Hirok and I greet the first customer of the day at the same time.

"Hello," he mutters as he takes a seat at a nearby table.

"I'll take the orders, you make the tea," Hirok whispers to me as he makes his way over to the old man.

I make my way into the kitchen and prepare the necessary materials. I boil some water and pick out a mug for my very first customer. Soon Hirok enters and gives me the order. I prepare the tea with ease and ring a bell which indicates to Hirok that the customer's order is ready. He comes in, says nothing, picks up the tea, and leaves. A few moments later, he comes back with two more orders.

****

The day continues on in the same way, until finally it's time to close shop. Lara returns not long afterwards.

Hirok is telling me about Hakida Village, when Lara walks into the room.

"Hello, you two. How did things go on your first day, Myra?"

"Wonderful," I answer simply. "And Hirok was a great help."

"That's good. Hirok?"

"Today went very well."

"Good. And to celebrate Myra's first successful day of work, the three of us are going to Miko's Dragon."

_To be continued…_

**Author's Note: Hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm really curious about what people think of how the story's going, so please review! Thanks for reading! :)**


	5. A Night to Remember

_Previously on 'Airbenders in Love':_

"_And to celebrate Myra's first successful day of work, the three of us are going to Miko's Dragon." _

5. A Night to Remember

Miko's Dragon is a restaurant not far away from the Red Rose. Once finding a small table near the back of the establishment, we order our meals. I order something light too be polite.

We eat quickly as Hirok and I retell our day to Lara.

As dinner comes to a close, Lara says, "Well, I am quite tired from such a long day. I had planned on the three of us going to the big festival tonight, but I'm just exhausted. You two go on with out me."

I give Hirok a questioning look. I would love to go, but only if he shares the same enthusiasm. A smile sweeps across his face. "Of course we'll go! This is Myra's first night in Hakida Village and all."

I didn't bother correcting him-it was technically my _second_ night in this town, but why bother?

Thus, we saw Lara back to the Red Rose and made our way towards the big festival in the center of town.

Hirok and I walk side by side in silence. Today has been _very _interesting.

Food vendors are along the side of the long, wide street and people of varying ages crowd the street. I catch sight of a puppet show and motion for Hirok to join me.

The show is about a young earth kingdom princess who is stolen from her home and rescued by her 'prince charming'. How dull. As I let out a small yawn, Hirok elbows me playfully and whispers, "Hey, there's supposed to be some sort of play going on. Wanna go check it out?"

"Yeah. Let's go!"

The play takes place at a medium sized outdoor amphitheater. Most of the seats are already taken, so we have to sit near the back.

It takes me a while to figure out what's going on. It seems we've come during the middle of the play. So instead, I just enjoy the atmosphere.

I glance over at Hirok for a moment. He laughs and holds his breath at the right times. But he is a native to this town, so I guess it's not as hard for him to catch on.

As I scan the crowd, I notice that a great majority of the audience are on dates. That brings up the whole love question again. But I still feel I'm too young for it. Twenty-one may not be considered a youthful age to everyone else, but it is to me. I still want to see the world, meet new people, learn about different cultures. Though it doesn't seem like that is what I'm doing at this very moment…

****

Once the play is over-and I still have no clue what it was about- it is quite late, so Hirok walks me back to the tea shop. When we get to the door, I give him a simple, "Goodnight, and thanks so much for everything today."

"Don't mention it," he grins and walks away, fading into the darkness of midnight.

When I walk in, everything is so dark that I have a hard time finding my way to my room. I go through my nightly routine of preparing to go to sleep, and then lay on my bed, shut my eyes, and do a little bit of serious thinking.

How long will I stay in Hakida Village? What happened to seeing the world? Being a true nomad? Letting the air guide me in whichever direction it sees fit? But the air hasn't guided me anywhere yet but here. So isn't this where I belong for the time being?

Soon my very own thoughts are contradicting each other and I escape into deep sleep. This was truly a night to remember.

_To be continued…_

**Author's note: Short chapter, but it shows what Myra is thinking at this point as she tries to plan here next move as a nomad. **


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